HomeEntertainmentHoliday Carols in the...

Holiday Carols in the Park not dampened by rainy weather

ANNA MARIA – Despite a steady rain, the city of Anna Maria’s Holiday Carols in the Park started with a bang, when Santa magically appeared through a cloud of orange smoke at the west end of City Pier Park.

The annual city-sponsored holiday event took place on Friday, Dec. 13 and began at 4 p.m.
After making his way to the shade sail structure to the delight of the awaiting youngsters,

Santa first joined Mayor Dan Murphy and helped announce the winners of the city’s inaugural Bright Holiday Lights holiday decorating contest.

Deputy City Clerk Debbie Haynes, artist and Emerson’s Studio Store owner Emerson Quillin and AMI Chamber of Commerce President Terri Kinder served as the contest judges and
visited each entry before Friday’s event.

“Hopefully next year we’ll have more entries. It was a lot of fun,” Kinder said when
the judges were introduced.

“I want to thank all of our businesses for entering, you did a fantastic job,” Murphy
said.

Santa then opened the hermetically sealed envelope and announced Duncan Real
Estate won the business category. Sales and rental agent Joey Hutchinson accepted the trophy on behalf of Duncan Real Estate, but he said most of the credit
goes to rental agent J.P. Beaubien.

“He did all the work,” Hutchinson said of the decorations gracing the real estate
office on Pine Avenue.

Harry’s Grill, Poppo’s Taqueria, Pink & Navy, Island Cabana, Vacasa, Beach Bums and Two Scoops also competed in the business category.

For their home on Gladiolus Street, Santa announced the Craft family as the winners of the residents category. Santa and the mayor then presented Larry Craft with his lighted, Christmas tree-themed trophy.

“I give the credit to my wife (Carol). She’s truly a Christmas angel, and I am her wing man. I didn’t do that much; she did most of it,” Craft told the crowd.

“Beautiful job,” Murphy said. “And thank you, everyone who entered.”

The Johnson family on Kumquat Drive, Steve Coppin and John Polking on Bayview
Place and Debbie White on North Bay Boulevard also competed in the residents’
category.

Santa then made his way over to his special chair so the children could share their
Christmas wishes with him and receive the gift bags he had for them.

Standing under an auxiliary tent and accompanied by a talented keyboardist, the
choir from the Roser Memorial Community Church performed several Christmas
carols, including “Away in the Manger,” before asking the crowd to join in a holiday
sing-along that included “Joy to the World” and “We Wish You a Merry Christmas.”

Attendees were also treated to free eggnog, Christmas cookies and other refreshments.

After performing with the choir, Lorna Smilde was among the grown-ups who paid Santa a visit. When asked what Christmas wish she shared with Santa, Smilde said, “I want
peace in this country.”

After the performance, Murphy shared with The Sun his thoughts on the festivities.

“With all this rain. I was surprised that we had the great turnout we did. It just shows
you the holiday spirit is alive and well in Anna Maria. I’m very pleased and I’m very
proud of what the city staff put together for this celebration.”

Murphy praised the crew that coordinated the Holiday Bright Lights contest and the Holiday Carols in the Park event and consisted of Haynes, City Clerk LeAnne Addy, Public Works Manager Dean Jones and Deputy Clerk Stephanie Janney.

Most Popular

More from Author

Six charter amendments proposed

ANNA MARIA –The Anna Maria Charter Review Committee is propos­ing six...

AMI Moose Lodge hosts kids’ Easter party

BRADENTON BEACH – Due to rainy weather, Saturday morning’s Easter egg...

Business owners oppose multi-use path extension

ANNA MARIA – Some business owners are concerned about the city’s...

Anna Maria seeks to amend CBD prohibitions

ANNA MARIA – The city of Anna Maria is trying to...

Floridian Mortgage wins championship

ANNA MARIA – Spring has sprung and winter sports at The Center are coming to a close, with team Floridian Mortgage earning the win against team Moss Builders Thursday night in the adult co-ed flag football championship game. The top two teams in the league matched up in...

Man completes Chamber passport program in five hours

ANNA MARIA ISLAND - The annual Anna Maria Island Chamber of Commerce’s Passport Program is a fun way for residents and visitors to the Island to get out and discover Island businesses with a passport offered for free by the chamber. Participants are encouraged to get their passports...

One ARK Foundation raises funds for foster families

live music, delicious food and spirited fundraising as the One ARK Foundation held its second annual “Kindness Matters Extravaganza” at The Cheesecake Cutie & Cafe on March 21. “One ARK” stands for “one act of random kindness” and is a newly-established 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded by The Cheesecake...

Save our homes

This column should be titled “Save our Taxes,” since that’s what we’re really talking about. However, saving on property taxes is part of the Save Our Homes benefits and portability transfers are another piece of this law. In January of 2008, the Florida Legislature passed legislation that allows...

 Reel Time: Salon fundraiser meets with success

Salon (noun) - a conversational gathering of notables held at the home of a prominent person. On Saturday afternoon, Suncoast Waterkeeper held its Suncoast Salon fundraiser at the Sarasota home of Anna Maria residents Bill and Debbie Partridge. The event was a sellout and attracted some of...

Temporary paid parking vendors hired

BRADENTON BEACH – City commissioners considered four temporary use parking permits at the March 21 commission meeting and after much discussion, approved three with stipulations, denying one. Permit applications were submitted by developer Shawn Kaleta for temporary parking lots at 102 Third St. N., 207 Church Ave. and...

Fire department sued over rental regulations

BRADENTON – Almost a year after passing a resolution changing the district’s approach to taxing and inspecting vacation rental properties in residential areas, West Manatee Fire Rescue is receiving pushback from one rental owner. During a March 19 commission meeting, the district’s attorney, Maggie Mooney, informed the board...

Bridge Street traffic, parking among commission concerns

BRADENTON BEACH – In what was an unusually lengthy, seven-hour city commission meeting that began at noon on March 21, commissioners dove into parking and traffic issues, pickleball and organ donation. BRIDGE STREET ONE WAY? A Bridge Street business owner asked the commission to consider making Bridge Street one...

Scaccianoce new Bradenton Beach commissioner

BRADENTON BEACH – Ward 1 has a new commissioner. The application for commissioner by business owner and former Manatee County records manager Deborah Scaccianoce was approved by the commission and she was sworn in at its March 21 meeting. She filled the vacant seat left by former Commissioner Jake...

Kruse talks beach parking, Island consolidation

HOLMES BEACH – About two dozen people came out on March 20 to meet with Manatee County Commissioner George Kruse, bringing their questions for the candidate, who is seeking re-election in November. Kruse held a town hall meeting at the Island Branch Library where he answered every question...

Commissioners deny bids for paid parking

BRADENTON BEACH – Rather than partnering with an outside vendor as planned, commissioners are now considering city-managed paid parking lots throughout Bradenton Beach. The city had put out a Request for Proposals (RFP) on Feb. 9 to “Provide the City with a complete parking management and enforcement system...